Telecom
Cloud Exchange Partners Huawei to Launch Africa’s First Tier IV Prefabricated Data Centre
Cloud Exchange, a system Integrator in West Africa and a provider of end-to-end Information Technology (IT) system solutions, has officially launched Africa’s first uptime institute tier IV modular prefabricated data center in collaboration with telecommunications giant, Huawei.
The state-of-the-art data center was unveiled yesterday at a grand ceremony held at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria. The introduction was in line with Cloud Exchange’s expansion of its service offerings from systems integration, hybrid cloud infrastructure to Tier IV data center colocation, interconnects and cross-connects, managed network and security, private and public cloud services.
Speaking during the event, Mr Glad Dibetso, Chief Executive Officer of Cloud Exchange, said Nigeria’s growing digital economy drove the development of the data center.
According to him, “the tier IV data center vision was born from the burning platform we were on in 2016. We had an audacious vision to build the first African Tier IV Prefabricated data center certified by Uptime Institute. We wanted to be part of the solution by finding tailor-made solutions fit for purpose and pragmatic for the continent.
“Infrastructure, especially in ICT has continued to hold the continent back. We knew that for African to fully participate in the future, we all need to improve ICT infrastructure as it is the bedrock of digitalization.
“We did not know how we will accomplish the Tier IV dream; however, we had the will which aligned with the quest to do meaningful work; it always seems impossible until it’s done. The effort of our employees, partners, clients, and industry stakeholders have achieved a green Tier IV data center.
“We not only achieved the best DC internationally, but we also made sure it’s good for the environment. We have built the very first tier IV Data Centre in West Africa, the first green one free of air and noise pollution and one that is also free of the effects of FM200 contamination,” he said.
In the same vein, Adetoyese Oyerinde, Head, Data Centre and Operation at Cloud Exchange West Africa explained that as a customer-centric company, Cloud Exchange realized that the only guarantee for its operation was to go for the highest level of availability threshold obtainable in the world of Data Centers: A tier IV Data Centre, the facility that promises a minimum of 99.995% availability.
According to him, “this translates into total redundancy, continuous cooling, fault tolerance and unmatchable reliability that has not been witnessed before in sub–Saharan Africa”.
He noted that the difference between Tier III and Tier IV Data Centre has always been under-emphasized. “It is all in numbers, a downtime of 96 minutes compared to 26.3 minutes, a lot can happen in 70 minutes, a lot can be lost in 70 minutes and a lot of money can be made in 70 minutes.
Tier IV also promises just more than availability, it promises reliability, it promises excellence, it promises adaptability, and all these have been built into the very first Uptime Institute Tier IV Data Centre in West Africa”, he explained.
Mr. Eric, who is the deputy MD of Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited, said” Huawei has been delivering top ICT solutions for over 22 years in Nigeria since 1999. For the past 20+ years, Huawei has been providing and supporting our Partners, Customers and Industries with our unique solutions to build the best practices like Cloud Exchange Data Centre”.
Huawei’s solution uses a 3.6-m high cube and complies with a Tier IV Designed Facility. It includes HUAWEI’s high-efficiency modular UPS, PAC and DCIM+ management system. All these advanced facilities are prefabricated in the factory and pretested before delivery.
In addition, Huawei provides exclusive factory acceptance tests (FAT) to guarantee reliability and quality. Huawei’s solution takes the modular architecture and supports expansion in a stacking manner.
This modular and scalable design allows it to deploy more racks in the same space and reduce the customer’s initial investment. Besides, the design PUE is lower than 1.5, which will bring tangible benefits to Cloud Exchange in the long run. Huawei’s solution also provides a customized facade with high-level finishing.
Mr. Eric added “Huawei will keep innovating on our DC solutions especially the prefab modular solution with the concept of one layer one DC, one rack one DC.
Along the lines of electrical and electronic together with digital and AI technologies, we do believe the prefab modular solution is going to be well accepted by our clients. we also believe this solution is going to benefit businesses more because it enables: capacity follows network planning; Investment follows business growth”.
Airtel Nigeria, telecom service provider, has announced that its AI-powered Spam Alert Service issued over 9.6 million spam alerts between March 13 and May 20, 2025.
As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting customers from unwanted and potentially fraudulent communications, Airtel designed the AI Spam Alert service to analyze traffic patterns and detect anomalies.
In the period since launch the AI pinpointed a total of 9,667,008 SMS as potential spam messages in the two months after its launch.
Of these, the system identified 528,080 on-net (Airtel-to-Airtel) and 9,138,928 off-net (from other networks) numbers as suspected spam messages, demonstrating the scale of the threat and Airtel’s advanced processing capability.
Airtel Nigeria is a subsidiary of Airtel Africa.
Commenting on this development, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO, Airtel Nigeria, restated Airtel`s commitment to protecting its customers.
“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our AI-driven infrastructure in combating the growing menace of spam and scam calls. At Airtel Nigeria, we are focused on connecting Nigerians and ensuring their safety and confidence while using our network.
“We understand that trust is the cornerstone of digital communication. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in intelligent systems that not only detect potential threats but also learn and evolve with data. As threats become more sophisticated, so will our solutions. As a company, we remain focused on leading the industry in innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring that every Nigerian can enjoy a safer and smarter digital experience,” Mr. Balsingh said.
The Spam Alert Service is part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into its core offerings to deliver smarter and safer experiences for its customers across the country.
Recall that the Spam Alert Service was launched on March 13, 2025. A groundbreaking and free solution from Airtel, it notifies users in real-time of suspected spam SMS messages by analyzing over 250 parameters.
The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service is available to all Airtel subscribers on smartphones and feature phones.
Vitel Wireless Limited, pioneer mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Nigeria has made another history by announcing the successful completion of interconnectivity with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Recall that Vitel Wireless, became the first Mobile Virtual Network Operator to receive a dedicated number series (0712) from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This breakthrough enables Vitel Wireless subscribers to make and receive calls with users on MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), and 9mobile Nigeria.
It also marks the first time an MVNO in the country has successfully interconnected with all the major MNOs, setting a new precedent for Nigeria’s telecom sector.
Following the NCC’s licensing of 46 MVNOs, Vitel Wireless continues to lead the way in establishing a dynamic MVNO sector in Nigeria—Africa’s largest market and most populous nation.
The company has already achieved several historic firsts: the first MVNO issued a numbering plan and national and international routing codes, the first to launch a location awareness network in Africa, and the first to unveil a strategic nationwide rollout plan.
“We are gathering momentum for our big launch,” said Kenneth Emeka Nwabueze, chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless.
“We are proud to be showing what’s possible for MVNOs, while also creating a path for others to follow. By leveraging our years of experience in Nigeria’s telecom industry, we are opening up new possibilities where there used to be none.”
Interconnectivity was achieved through a combination of direct fiber connections with some MNOs and indirect routing via third-party providers.
This milestone was the result of a collaborative effort involving engineers from Vitel Wireless, Wireless Technology Labs (WTL), and Interconnect Clearinghouse Nigeria (ICN), working closely with engineers from MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile.
“We wish to thank the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission, for their timely interventions and guidance, which were instrumental in achieving this interconnectivity and bringing the formal launch of the Vitel Wireless nationwide network one step closer to reality,” said Nwabueze.
The company entered a nationwide pilot phase in May 2025, with plans for a full rollout in July 2025, aiming to deliver next-generation mobile services to millions across Nigeria.
Layer3, One of Nigeria’s foremost ICT solutions providers, has once again solidified its place as a trailblazer in Africa’s technology landscape, emerging as the Enterprise Solutions Provider of the Year and Leadership Award in Cloud Services at the prestigious African Beacon of ICT Leadership and Awards held on May 24, 2025, at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos.
This year’s event brought together leading tech innovators, policymakers, and thought leaders to recognize organizations making extraordinary contributions to Africa’s digital transformation.
Among the many luminaries in attendance, Layer3 stood out for its 19+ years of consistent innovation, technical excellence, and client-centered service delivery.
Speaking at the event, the organizers praised Layer3’s pioneering work in delivering robust enterprise solutions across sectors, as well as its bold leadership in advancing cloud infrastructure and services across Nigeria and beyond.
“These awards are more than recognitions, they are a reminder of the fulfilment to our mission to deliver peace of mind to our customers,” said David Ita, the Head of Strategy and Business Development of Layer3.
“They speak to the impact we’ve made and the promise we hold for the future of the cloud and enterprise technology business in Africa. We dedicate this honor to our clients, partners, and the hardworking Layer3 team who continue to redefine excellence every day.”
Since its founding, Layer3 has championed a future-forward approach to ICT services offering cutting-edge solutions in enterprise networking, cybersecurity, broadband, cloud computing, managed services, and IT advisory. The company’s Layer3Cloud platform and managed service offerings continue to power the digital ambitions of Nigeria’s leading businesses.
These accolades underscore Layer3’s unwavering commitment to driving transformation and supporting digital economies through smart, secure, and scalable technology.
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